


Positive Reinforcement

by zarrati



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 07:42:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2380319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarrati/pseuds/zarrati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rehearsing at home, naked in bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Positive Reinforcement

**Author's Note:**

> Following one of the greatest cold opens ever, I felt the need to write my take on what that rehearsal might have looked like.

 

  
Ben was vaguely aware of a voice speaking beside him. The only response he could muster was a muffled "Hmm?" in his post-orgasm stupor.

He felt her chuckle as he spooned her. Leslie turned towards him and intertwined their fingers, her face showing her amusement.

"I said, do you have anything interesting lined up at work tomorrow?"

 "Uhm, you know, the usual. But I do have my first official meeting with the Parks and Rec department tomorrow."

"Oh, do you? What a coincidence, because I have my first official meeting with the new City Manager."

"Be careful. I hear he's a tight ass."

"He's got a tight ass, alright." She pinched said bare ass and cackled. "So, tell me about these Parks and Rec Department Heads. Should I be worried about some gorgeous, eager bureaucrat trying to steal you away?"

"Well, I hear one of them is really hot, but I'm sure the blond woman is nice too."

He jerked again as Leslie's fingers gave him another pinch, this time to his side.

"Very funny."

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for a man with a mustache."

"I'll keep that in mind." She tried to sound upset, but the laughter in her eyes gave her away.

They lay together for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, warm and sated. After losing their jobs and facing the whirlwind that had become their lives, they were finally able to relax. Ben had his new job as City Manager, and they both knew that Leslie was waiting for her next big opportunity. In the meantime, she was diving headfirst into her former role as Deputy Director.

Working together again was sure to prove interesting. It was going to be different now that they were married and avoiding any potential scandal. No more denying how they felt about each other. No more sneaking kisses in broom closets out of fear of being fired.

No more sacrificing their happiness for the sake of their careers.

Ben could feel a change in Leslie as she buried herself further into his chest. Maybe she was thinking the same thing.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

"Nothing,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “I just love this. Being able to work with you again and not have to worry about our relationship. I know it couldn't really work while we were dating, but I missed it. I missed having you only a few halls away whenever I needed you. Although, for a while there, you were around pretty often for someone who didn't even work at City Hall anymore. But anyway, I’m just happy that you’re back. You belong in government."

Ben shrugged. "Not as much as you do, but yeah, I'm excited to be back. I really liked being Assistant City Manager, and so far I'm enjoying this job, too."

"Except for the 'getting pranked by your employees' part?" Leslie giggled at the flush of embarrassment that overtook his face and neck.

"Yeah, I probably could have lived without the experience of thinking that I would spend the rest of my life rotting in prison over illegal cheese. But other than _that_ , I'd say that I'm enjoying it. I'm even getting better at balancing my bad news with good news. How's this one for Greg in Public Works? 'Hey Greg, I wanted to congratulate you again on the new baby. Luckily, you'll be able to spend more time at home because you now have four extra furlough days a month.'"

"Wow, well, that's one way to break the news to him, I guess."

Ben knew her well enough to notice when she was indulging him, so he didn't take offense when her attempt at a reassuring smile looked more like a grimace, nor when she abruptly changed the subject.

"So, I can't wait until I turn in my report tomorrow. It's the first one that's going to the new City Manager, and I want to impress him." Her voice had taken a husky tone, and she started to play with some of the hairs on his chest.

Ben's fingers that were tracing lazy circles on her back became more insistent. His hands circled her waist, and his thumbs stroked her ribs just beneath her breast. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. I worked really, _really_ hard on it," she said, slipping one of her legs between his.

"Well, I'm sure he's just as excited to read it himself. In fact, I'm almost positive that he's wondering how he will possibly be able to sit through that meeting without pressing you against his desk and fu-"

"Ben!"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her expression, a mixture of outrage and flattery. "What? I hear a well written report really turns him on."

"Is that so?"

"That's the rumor going around."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," she teased. Her eyes softened and she let out a contented sigh. "But seriously, I really can't wait until tomorrow. Bring back that dynamic that we used to have when we worked together."

"Dream Team!" they said in their best Chris Traeger voices before bursting into laughter.

"See, look at that," Leslie said, "We still got it."

“We sure do.” He leaned down to kiss her, and when he pulled away, the look in her eyes was unmistakable. It wasn't lust like he was hoping. He could practically see an idea taking shape in her mind.

"What?" he asked her, both excited and a little nervous at whatever idea was churning in her head.

"You know what would be really awesome?"

"No..."

"Well since tomorrow is our first official meeting together in our new roles, they are probably gonna ask us some questions about it, right? You know, how we feel about working together again now that we're married."

"Most likely."

"Right! So what better way to show them how amazing we are than to coordinate something. You know, so they can see just how in tune we are with each other."

Her excitement was contagious, and Ben felt himself warming up to the idea.

"Oh, it'll be like that episode of Doctor Who when that alien was trying to take over the Doctor's voice and could read his mind and kept saying everything he was saying at the exact same time!"

Leslie just stared for a moment. "Uhm, not _exactly_ like that, but sure."

Ben got more excited as he thought the idea over, his body practically buzzing with anticipation. "Okay, okay. So, what do we want to say?"

"Well, I’ll probably start off by mentioning something about our new jobs and how it’s okay because we’re married now.”

“Sounds good so far.”

“Uhm, and then I can start off by saying something about us living together, and then you can say something about the fact that we also work together. Oh, and then we can say that we are so _in sync_ with each other, but actually say the in sync part together. Anyway, we are so in sync with each other, that we finish each other's-"

"Sandwiches!"

"No, Ben, sentences, not sandwiches. I swear, one more pop culture reference and I'm changing the Netflix password."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," he rushed. "Okay, so we 'finish each other's sentences'. I like it."

"Perfect. Let's practice." Leslie sat up and the sheet that was covering her fell down to her waist. Ben momentarily lost track as his eyes swept over his wife's chest.

"Ben!" Leslie said, startling him. "Eyes up here, buddy. We need to focus."

"Sorry."

She couldn't help the smirk that tugged on her lips. "Ok, now that I have your attention, we can begin. So, I'll start by saying 'We live together-'" She pointed her finger to Ben, indicating for him to take over.

"Oh, uhm, 'And work together.'"

Leslie turned her finger back to herself. "And we are so-"

"In sync," they said together.

"Good, Ben, good. Start the next one."

"Okay, so we are so 'in sync that we finish each other's-‘"

"Sentences! That was great. One more time. 'We live together.'"

"And work together."

"And we are so-"

"In sync-”

“That we finish each other's-"

"Sentences.' Yes! Look at us. We are going to blow them away tomorrow."

Leslie looked over at Ben, and was surprised to see that he didn't look convinced.

“What? You don’t think we should say that?”

“No it’s not that,” Ben assured her. “I don’t know, babe. I just think I need to practice more.”

“Seriously? Because you only have, like, two lines.”

“I know. But still, I’m afraid that I’ll forget. I think I need to use some positive reinforcement techniques to help memorize what I’m supposed to say.”

Leslie continued to stare. “Uh huh. And what exactly does that mean?”

To Ben’s credit, his face never once faltered. He looked serious and focused. “You know, positive reinforcement. But instead of the experience making me behave a certain way, I associate what I’m supposed to say with something that I find positive or pleasurable. That way when the time comes for me to recite back what I memorized, I link that to the positive experience and therefore should find it easier to access that memory. I mean it’s no Mind Palace-“

“What did I say about pop culture references?”

“Sorry. But regardless, I think I should try it and see if it will help me remember it better. But I’m gonna need your help.”

After a beat, Leslie conceded. “Alright, fine. I don’t know what this even means, but if you think it will help-”

“It will. Trust me”

“Okay. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

For the first time since he brought up the “positive reinforcement” idea, he allowed his façade to crack, and there was a devilish glint in his eye. Leslie grew suspicious, but she was wholly unprepared for what happened next.

In one fluid motion, Ben pulled her flat onto the bed and hovered over her, his devilish glint transforming into a full-fledged grin. Leslie couldn't stifle the yelp of surprise at their sudden change in position.

“I might be missing something, but how is this supposed to help you remember?”

“Just trust me,” Ben assured her. “And I think this won’t just help me, but you too.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

Ben chuckled and bent down to press a sensuous kiss to his wife’s neck. “I’ll prove it to you,” he whispered throatily in her ear. “Just start rehearsing.”

An involuntary shiver ran through Leslie as her husband spoke, and it took her a few minutes to find her voice.

“O-okay. Uh, I say something about how we can work together now that we’re married…” She stopped when she once again felt Ben’s mouth on her neck, alternating between licking, nipping, and sucking on her skin.

“Mhm, keep going.” His voice vibrated against her.

She swallowed thickly. “We, uh, we live together.”

“And work together.” He raised his head just enough to say his line before dropping his lips again, this time working his way down her clavicle.

“And we are so-oh God, Ben,” she cried out as his tongue traced patterns around her breast.

“Hmm, I don’t think that’s a part of the script.”

“Jesus, Ben, what are you doing?” she panted.

“I told you, positive reinforcement. Now, keep going.” In an act of mercy, his mouth left her breast and lightly brushed her ribs.

“And we are so-”

“In sync” they said together, although Leslie’s was more of a whimper.

“That we finish each other’s-” Ben’s tongue circled her navel and Leslie involuntarily arched her back. She let out a moan as he nipped at her hipbone, his never idle hands tracing up and down her thighs.

“Sentences,” he whispered. “You’re supposed to say ‘sentences.’”

“Sentences,” she all but cried out as his hands traveled up her thighs and around to cup her ass. “Sentences, oh God, sentences.”

Leslie could feel Ben’s smile against her skin as he kissed his way back up her body, ultimately placing a firm kiss on her lips. He took note of her dazed expression and flushed face.

“See what I mean? Now I’ll have a better chance of remembering what I’m supposed to say because I’ll associate it with the image of you beneath me. Basic psychology, my dear.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I totally see where you’re coming from,” she managed to say after her breathing returned to normal. “Although, there is something that I would like to try.”

Without warning, she pushed Ben back onto the bed and straddled him, his hands automatically taking their customary place on her hips. Leaning forward, Leslie took Ben’s lower lip between her teeth and gently tugged before soothing it with her tongue.

“I think we should practice one more time. You know, to make sure that we really have it down.”

Ben could only nod and grin as his hands roamed her body, Leslie beginning her own exploration with her mouth.

“Now where were we?” she asked. “Oh, right. ‘We live together…’”

 

 

 


End file.
